590 FORAGE PLANTS AND THEIR CULTURE 



prepared. Three methods of seeding may be used; 

 namely, in cultivated rows, in drill rows and broadcasted. 

 If planted in rows to be cultivated, the rows should be as 

 close as possible to permit of easy cultivation ; 24 to 28 

 inches is the usual width of the rows, but they may be as 

 narrow as 18 inches, or as wide as 36 inches. In 24-inch 

 rows, 2 pounds of seed an acre is sufficient, and more 

 than 3 pounds should not be used. 



When planted in close rows with a grain drill, 4 pounds 

 of seed an acre is used. If broadcasted, the same or a 

 slightly larger amount is necessary. Too dense seeding 

 causes crowding and consequently smaller growth. 



At the Ontario Experimental Farm seed was drilled at 

 various rates to the acre from 1.2 to 186.6 pounds. The 

 lightest seeding gave the best results, but up to 6 pounds 

 there was no great difference. The highest yield in the 

 series was 18.5 tons and the lowest 14.1 tons. At the 

 Tennessee Experiment Station rape was seeded March 

 31, April 16, April 30, May 14, June 15 and July. The last 

 two seedings were failures. The others yielded respec- 

 tively 8.5, 7.0, 6.0 and 3.9 tons green crop to the acre. 



705. Place in rotations. In the North rape is best 

 adapted as a catch crop to come after oats or other spring- 

 seeded grain. In the South it may take the place of crim- 

 son clover or fall-sown grain. 



Where rape does well, it makes a dense growth which 

 tends to smother out many weeds, and the subsequent 

 close pasturing will destroy many of the remainder. 



706. Sowing with another crop. Rape is sometimes 

 sown in spring with or in a crop of grain, such as wheat, 

 oats or rye. One method is to broadcast the rape when 

 the grain is two or three inches high, covering the seed 

 by harrowing afterwards. Under favorable conditions a 



